SC grants bail to Andhra Pradesh journalist in offensive remarks case
New Delhi, Jun 13 (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao, whom the Andhra Pradesh Police arrested for allegedly making disparaging remarks against greenfield capital city Amaravati on his live show.
The top court passed the order on Rao's plea challenging his arrest.
A partial working day bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan directed the release of 70-year-old Rao, who was arrested on June 9, noting that he did not make the statement on his show and it was one of the panellists who made the alleged derogatory remarks.
Questioning the Andhra Pradesh government over the arrest, the bench said it was necessary that Rao's journalistic rights and his fundamental right to freedom of speech were protected.
"The petitioner himself did not make the statement on the live TV show and his journalistic rights need to be protected so that his freedom of speech is also protected. We direct that the petitioner be released in the FIR subject to conditions imposed by the trial court," the bench ordered.
The bench, however, asked Rao not to get involved in any defamatory statement either by himself or by allowing others to make such statements in his presence in the show which the petitioner is anchoring or hosting.
At the outset, senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Rao, submitted that the remarks were not made by him but by a panellist.
The bench asked the state how the petitioner could be arrested for the statements made by someone else.
Questioning the action of Andhra Pradesh Police, the bench asked senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the state government, "Someone else is making the statement. How can he be arrested?"
Rohatgi submitted he was goading and abetting the man who was making that statement and was laughing at the comment instead of stopping him.
Justice Manmohan told Rohatgi, "When someone makes an outrageous statement, we just laugh it off. They can't be termed as co-conspirators."
Justice Mishra concurred with the view and said, "Everyday this is happening."
Rohatgi added that this was not a case of somebody being on a standby or that he was a bystander to the remark, but he was very much part of the programme and the channel.
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, also appearing for the state, submitted that the statement was not merely defamatory as it was said that Andhra Pradesh was in the forefront when it came to sex work.
He pointed out that Rao's bail petition was pending before the high court and he should have sought the remedy there.
The bench did not agree with the submission made on behalf of the state and directed Rao's release from the custody.
It posted the matter for further hearing after eight weeks.
Andhra Pradesh Police on June 9 arrested Rao from Hyderabad for hosting a programme in Sakshi TV, where alleged disparaging remarks against greenfield capital city Amaravati were made by a panelist.
The comments were made by one of the panellists on a TV show hosted by Rao on June 6.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
